Scalia’s last hunt was with elite, secretive society

When Justice Antonin Scalia died 11 days ago at a West Texas ranch, he was among high-ranking members of an exclusive fraternity for hunters called the International Order of St. Hubertus, an Austrian society that dates back to the 1600s.

After Scalia’s death Feb. 13, the names of the 35 other guests at the remote resort, along with details about Scalia’s connection to the hunters, have remained largely unknown. A review of public records shows that some of the men who were with Scalia at the ranch are connected through the International Order of St. Hubertus, whose members gathered at least once before at the same ranch for a celebratory weekend.

Justice Antonin Scalia wore the traditional black robe in court, but if he did belong to the International Order of St. Hubertus, he might have donned a green robe with a Latin motto. Reuters

Members of the worldwide, male-only society wear dark green robes emblazoned with a large cross and the motto “Deum Diligite Animalia Diligentes,” which means “Honoring God by honoring His creatures,” according to the group’s website. Some hold titles, such as Grand Master, Prior and Knight Grand Officer. The Order’s name is in honor of Hubert, the patron saint of hunters and fishermen.

Cibolo Creek Ranch owner John Poindexter and C. Allen Foster, a prominent Washington attorney who traveled to the ranch with Scalia by private plane, hold leadership positions within the Order. It is unclear what, if any, official association Scalia had with the group.

“There is nothing I can add to your observation that among my many guests at Cibolo Creek Ranch over the years some members of the International Order of St. Hubertus have been numbered,” wrote Poindexter in an email. “I am aware of no connection between that organization and Justice Scalia.”

Two other private planes that landed at the ranch for the weekend are linked to two men who have held leadership positions with the Texas chapter of the Order, according to a review of state business filings and flight records from the airport.

After Scalia’s death, Poindexter told reporters that he met Scalia at a “sports group” gathering in Washington. The U.S. chapter of the International Order of St. Hubertus lists a District of Columbia suite on M Street NW as its headquarters, although the address is only a mailbox in a UPS store.

The International Order of St. Hubertus, according to its website, is a “true knightly order in the historical tradition.” In 1695, Count Franz Anton von Sporck founded the society in Bohemia, which is in modern-day Czech Republic.

The group’s Grand Master is “His Imperial Highness Istvan von Habsburg-Lothringen, Archduke of Austria,” according to the Order’s website. The next gathering for “Ordensbrothers” and guests is an “investiture” in Charleston, South Charleston, on March 10.

The society’s U.S. chapter launched in 1966 at the famous Bohemian Club in San Francisco, which is associated with the all-male Bohemian Grove – one of the most notorious secret societies in the country.

In 2010, Poindexter hosted a group of 53 members of the Houston chapter of the International Order of St. Hubertus at the Cibolo Creek Ranch, according to a Houston society publication. A number of members from Mexico were also part of the ranch festivities that included “three days of organized shoots and ‘gala’ lunches and dinners.”

Poindexter told CultureMap Houston that some of the guests dressed in “traditional European shooting attire for the boxed bird shoot competition” and for the shooting of pheasants and chukar, a type of partridge.

For the hunting weekend earlier this month, Poindexter told The Washington Post that Scalia traveled to Houston with his friend and U.S. marshals, who provide security for Supreme Court justices. The Post obtained a Presidio County Sheriff’s report that named Allen Foster as Scalia’s close friend on the trip.

Sheriff Danny Dominguez confirmed that a photograph of Washington attorney C. Allen Foster is the same man he interviewed at the ranch the day of Scalia’s death.

From Houston, Scalia and Foster chartered a plane without the marshals to the Cibolo Creek Ranch airstrip. In a statement after Scalia died, the U.S. Marshals Service said that Scalia had declined a security detail while at the ranch.

Foster, an attorney with the Washington firm Whiteford, Taylor & Preston, is known for his passion for hunting and is a former spokesman for the hunting group, Safari Club.

In 2006, Foster was featured in The Post when he celebrated his 65th birthday with a six-day celebration in the Czech Republic. He flew his family and 40 Washington friends there to stay in Moravia’s Castle Zidlochovice, a baroque castle and hunting park.

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gadfly371

Supreme Court justices should not be appointed for life.I know the arguments for and against and believe lifetime appointments are not in the besy interests of “blind justice”.

reallly??

the founding fathers disagreed …..go read their well thought out reasoning

Braindead Republican

Was that the same reasoning that led them to allow slavery, not considering people born black as being covered under “all men are created equal”? Let alone aboriginals, who were still seen as proper victims of genocide.

mooncusser99

True. But people didn’t have the life expectancy they have today. Life then was perhaps 50-55 years.

I think retirement at 70 or 72 may be the way to go. It allows the court to be refreshed.

MaineBrookies

“Life then was perhaps 50-55 years.”

That’s something of a misconception. The average lifespan was lower than now because of high mortality rates before during childhood. For example, in a person born in 1850 could expect to live 38 years. But a person who was 20 in 1850 could expect to live to 60 – or 40 more years. ON the other hand, in 2011 a newborn could expect to live to 76 while a 20 year can expect to live to…. 77. Individuals aren’t really living much longer, more people are living to old age.

Scalia was a conservative giant with enormous influence on the court. With so many important cases on the docket, I cannot help but be suspicious still. No autopsy was done so we’ll never know. They could at least have done a toxicology examination.

reallly??

and the conspiracy lives ……

Braindead Republican

There’s a big sale on aluminum foil in aisle 3.

FrankE

Oh I wouldn’t be to concerned with all these suspicions. Right after Justice Scalia’s death was announced, the normal conspiracy theory crowds headed up by none other than Alex Jones was right there to stoke the flames of conspiracy. Ever since I found this crackpot on YouTube, I’ve spent many hours following his demented, completely twisted, and thoroughly entertaining theories on how these famous people actually died. If this guy believes a fraction of the ideas he and his followers come up with, sleep must be nearly impossible……………..

mycountry

Need to check on the cell phone record for Obama to find out if he was secretly in the vicinity of the ranch in Texas where Scalia passed away. Maybe also check on the whereabouts of Hillary as we all know she murdered Vince Foster according to that great and wonderful institution Liberty University.

Portbrook

I think his biggest health problem was always his lack of a heart.

PPHisbiased

I did not realize he was a smoker

freedomiscool

Absolutely no excuse to skip an autopsy. A sitting supreme Court Justice death should warrant an immediate investigation until it is proven to be natural. Only two reasons for no autopsy
To cast suspicion and foment division or to cover something up.

MaineBrookies

“Only two reasons for no autopsy

To cast suspicion and foment division or to cover something up.”

There is a third reason – the deceased had a diagnosis of one or more life threatening conditions combined with a death scene that is consistent with at least one of those diagnosed condition.

EddyL

Unattended death warrants an autopsy.

MaineBrookies

Not in patients that have been diagnosed with life-threatening conditions who pass in a manner consistent with one or more of those conditions.

Skibbereen

Did Scalia go out in the back alley for a smoke or break the law? Perhaps a well ventilated room was made available for the portly man!